Citizens invited to learn about progress of City's arts education initiative, Thursday, Sept. 27Speakers include SPS superintendent José Banda, KUOW's life and culture reporter Marcie Sillman, and Cleveland High School alumni and arts organizer Robert Babs

SEATTLE — Parents, educators and others interested in how the arts are being integrated into the classroom are invited to attend a meeting hosted by a collaborative team from the city of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools (SPS). The event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave. Speakers will report on the progress of the Seattle K-12 Arts Learning Collaborative to create a comprehensive, district-wide K-12 arts plan to increase quality learning opportunities for all students in the district.

The agenda includes a short performance by Wing Luke Elementary School 2nd graders; a key-note address by recent Cleveland High School graduate Robert Babs, who sparked a movement to bring an orchestra program to his high school; and a panel discussion about the role of arts learning in supporting success for all students and creating future innovators. Panelists include SPS superintendent José Banda, Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Director Magdaleno "Leno" Rose-Avila, and director and editor Alan Nay from Seattle video production agency World Famous. The panel will be moderated by Marcie Sillman, life and culture reporter for KUOW 94.9 FM.

The goal of the collaborative is to ensure Seattle is a city where all students in all Seattle Public Schools have opportunities to learn through the arts, helping them to be successful in school and in life. Supported by a $1 million grant awarded to the school district by The Wallace Foundation in summer 2011, the community planning process runs through January 2013.

The event will feature a performance by Wing Luke Elementary School 2nd graders and will have an art activity available for kids so that parents may be able to participate. Pre-registration for the kids activity is required in order to have enough supplies. Please email Jenny Crooks, jenny.crooks@seattle.gov, or call (206) 684-7084.

The event follows several of community focus-group meetings held last spring during which citizens shared their vision for an arts plan. The Seattle K-12 Arts Learning Collaborative released a report with the findings from those meetings. The report and more information on the collaborative is available at www.seattleschools.org/artsplan.

The creation of the arts plan builds on the multi-year Arts Education Partnership between the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and Seattle Public Schools. Go to www.seattle.gov/arts/education for more information on the partnership.

About the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs
The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs supports the health and vitality of our city by providing access to arts and culture, advancing the role of artists in our community, and advocating for issues that affect the entire cultural community. The 16-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the mayor and City Council, supports the city agency.

About Seattle Public Schools
Seattle Public Schools is the largest K-12 school system in Washington state, serving about 49,500 students in 95 schools. We are focused on improving academic achievement for all students and committed to ensuring each student graduates from high school prepared for college, career and life. For more information, please visit www.seattleschools.org